Cape Town - Improved support was needed for women who might have a higher risk of drinking during pregnancy - given that South Africa has the highest recorded prevalence of foetal alcohol spectrum disorders (FASD) globally, and that children suffering from FASD carried it into adulthood.
This is according to Dr Marlene de Vries from the Department of Psychiatry at Stellenbosch University (SU), who has been doing research on FASD in rural areas in the Western Cape since 2008.
She recently obtained her doctorate in Social Work at SU.
For her study, she interviewed women in the Langeberg Municipal area who had previously received FASD prevention services during a pregnancy.
She wanted to gain an in-depth understanding of the lives, circumstances and realities of these women; the factors that influenced their alcohol use during pregnancy; and what prevention strategies were needed to support a sober lifestyle during pregnancy.
FASD is a group of conditions categorised by physical, mental and behavioural abnormalities, that occur as a consequence of prenatal alcohol exposure.
De Vries says that over the years a lot of prevention work has been done in the communities where she and her colleagues have been working and, although it has had a positive influence on many women, the question of why women drink despite knowing the negative influence on their unborn children, remained.
“It is important to keep in mind that they do not drink to deliberately harm their babies. When you listen to these women’s stories, you hear their hardships, the difficulties they have endured and the role of drinking as an escape mechanism but also the main social activity in their lives,” she said.
“Some (women) have carried their childhood trauma and loss into adulthood and suffer from depression without receiving any counselling or treatment. They live in communities where weekend binge-drinking is considered a normal and acceptable way of socialising. Often their extended families, partners and friends are heavy drinkers.
“Many women were abandoned by their partners, had partners who abused drugs and alcohol, assaulted them physically, and failed to support them financially and emotionally. This experience had a huge influence on the women’s drinking behaviour during pregnancy.”
She recommended mental health services and trauma counselling where needed, as well as support from social services, health professionals, law enforcement agencies and community groups for these women.
“Although FASD prevention and support services are available, they are fragmented by a lack of coordination, collaboration, and policy regarding FASD, and therefore failing those most in need of these services.
“We should not underestimate the role of mothers and grandmothers of pregnant women who are likely to drink alcohol. These women either lean heavily on their mothers for financial support or to care for their children,” De Vries said.
Since the role of fathers in the prevention of FASD was still underplayed and neglected, there was a need for FASD prevention programmes focussing on men, De Vries added.
Cape Times